“From Knowledge Grows Acceptance.”

sunflower

Photo by Kazuhiko Teramoto, used with Creative Commons licenseLink to photo

Now is the time to hit your farmer’s market to enjoy the Sun’s hard work! We are coming into summer squashes, corn, tomatoes, lettuces, cucumbers, peppers, as well as berries, citrus fruits, and melons. This is also a great time to indulge in some local wine or any frilly, fruity drinks.

To honor the Sun, you can choose foods that are the colors of the sun–yellow, white, orange, and red. Cooking over an open fire or grilling tap into the Sun’s heat energy. Sun-dried foods also work in the same way. Spicy foods are also perfect for this time of year.

One flower stands out as a mirror image of the sun, the sunflower. With its radiating yellow petals and sky high stems, it is easy to see the resemblance. These cookies are a great crunchy treat and pack a nutritious punch.

7. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. If desired, top with lemon zest while still hot.

You can use any cookie cutter you like, but sunburst cutters are widely available. In a pinch, use a juice glass to cut round cookies. If you don’t like sunflower seeds, no problem. Bake off the cookies sans topping. When cooled, decorate with a simple icing by mixing powdered sugar and lemon juice for a bright variant. Depending on the size of your cookies, you should get 3-5 dozen. That’s plenty for your Summer Solstice celebration!

Sunflower (Helianthus Annus) is also known as Corona Solis, Marigold of Peru and Solo Indianus. Sunflowers are very common as happy gifts and there are in many gardens but Sunflowers have some wonderful magickal uses. The Sunflower energy can be used by anyone who is trying to channel the energy of the Sun and to get in touch with any fire or sun deities.
Sunflower was sacred to the Aztecs. They considered it a religious herb and to honor the Sun God, they would carry and adorn themselves with sunflowers. In Peru, the temples were decorated and honored with sunflowers.
Some of the lore around sunflowers is interesting. If someone is trying to become virtuous or preserve their virginity, they can anoint themselves with Sunflower oil or juice pressed from the stems of the sunflower.
In addition, if you’re trying to find out the truth, sleep with a sunflower under the bed and the truth of any matter will be revealed to you. Also, if you cut a sunflower at sunset and make a wish, the wish will come true before another sunset. But make sure to ask for a wish within reason. Anything unreasonable or farfetched will not be brought to you.
To protect against smallpox, wear sunflowers seeds in a bag around the neck, either in a pouch or create the seeds into a necklace. If you’re trying to correct clumsiness, speak with the sunflower deva to help with that and keep you safe.
For women who are trying to conceive, they eat sunflower seeds to encourage fertility and happiness. Also, it can be used in foods – eating sunflower seeds or adding it into cakes.
It is also a protection herb. When sunflowers are planted in the garden, it protects against pests and brings luck to the person doing the gardening. It can also protect energy – someone will not be allowed to send malicious or nasty energy to someone else. For folks that like working with dragons and lions, the powerful energy of sunflowers can be helpful in working with those fiery beings.
Sunflowers help with depression or unhappiness. You can always bathe in sunflower oil to help with sadness, attract joy and also to lift the spirits. Sunflower oil can also be used to anoint ritual robes or tools, especially crystals and stones in healing.
So remember, when working with the Sunflower herb, make sure you’re using it to help with positivity and joy.
Remember, this is not a substitution for medical advice so always check with a medical professional to make sure working with herbs or oils are safe for you.